


Fateful Encounter

by Oddaudrey



Series: Dream Chasers Campaign Stories [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Gen, Lore - Freeform, Origin Story, kalashtars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddaudrey/pseuds/Oddaudrey
Summary: When the son of the Kalashtar King is born near death, King Zoratash turns to a mysterious Quori who has been locked away for centuries for help.
Series: Dream Chasers Campaign Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761472
Kudos: 1





	Fateful Encounter

It was the coldest winter the Kingdom of Dreams had seen in centuries. 

The Queen had gone into early labor after a difficult last month of pregnancy. She had fallen incredibly ill, her skin turned ashy, her eyes glassy and dull. No amount of medicine nor remedies had made any progress in regaining her fleeting health. 

While her faithful husband had refused to give up, the Queen had resigned to her fate and prayed to her bonded Quori that at the very least their child be born safe. 

“Natara and I have communicated, the fate of our child is unknown as well as mine…There is a problem at hand and I do not know how it can be solved.” Queen Delshana spoke to her husband as he sat by her bedside, midwives preparing for a quick and desperate delivery.

“You will both be alright, I will make sure of it.” King Zoratash told her with unwavering confidence. He could not imagine a world without her in it, he couldn’t bear to be alone in the castle he had spent far too many lonely nights in. 

“Darling, listen, the bonding of Kalashtar and Quori, I have not felt it. Our child may be lacking the spirit that our race has relied on for all of our existence.” Delshana said. “That is why my body is failing, our child as well. Something has gone wrong and you have to know it is not your fault.”

“Nothing is wrong, you’re just delusional from illness!” Zoratash raised his voice, startling the midwives who were just attempting to perform their jobs. 

“Do not drive yourself mad with denial, my love, If our child and I are to leave this world it is what fate has decided for us. I want you to know that I love you.” She told him, and then the midwives busied themselves with attempting to birth their child before any more harm could come to them and the Queen. 

Delshana held Zoratash’s hand and he felt as it grew weaker. He tightened his grip, she did not return the same gesture. 

“Your majesty…It’s a boy.” One of the midwives said suddenly. 

He turned to face her, in her arms was a blanket wrapped around the bloody infant. His newborn son looked as though he was sleeping, Zoratash hadn’t even realized he had been born due to the lack of crying. 

He hadn’t uttered a single word, their child’s hair was a dark brown and lacked the distinctive white color of a Kalashtar. 

Delshana was correct, their son lacked a Quori, his small feeble body was nothing more than an empty husk, struggling to live on his own. 

What had happened? It was unprecedented for a Kalashtar to be born without a Quori. It happened only occasionally, a Kalashtar is born without its most vital link to the spirits of the dream realm. But for the rightful heir to the Kala throne, his child, to be born a husk…Zoratash wouldn’t have this. 

“Your majesty, I’m so sorry…” the midwife holding his son apologized. 

Zoratash looked towards his motionless wife who had all since departed from this world, Natara undoubtedly guiding her to the afterlife. Then he looked to his son, his only family left, he would not let it end here. 

He stood up, grabbing his child out of the woman’s arms, and bursting out the door. The midwives called after him, a few servants he had come across tried to talk to him but he wouldn’t hear any of it. There was only one thing on his mind, he had to contact the dream realm. 

He ventured down the spiral staircase down to the lowest area of the castle, passing by the stained glass windows that had frosted over. 

There was no room in his mind for grief, no acceptance of being resigned to living alone once again. 

If he couldn’t have his wife, he would have his son. 

“I know what you are thinking and I advise against it.” The voice of his Quori, Shareth, whispered into his ear. 

A Kalashtar’s contact with their Quori was limited, as they were symbiotic and were synchronized nearly all of the time. But a Quori was much like a spiritual companion, and when they could they would make their presence known. 

A shadowy hand made an imprint on Zoratash’s shoulder. 

“I know you are mourning but you cannot change fate. If he is not born with a Quori then he is not. You cannot change it.” Shareth spoke firmly.

“I cannot accept it.” Zoratash instead, pushing open the huge double doors leading to the family tomb. 

His ancestors had been buried here, as would his wife soon enough, but within this mausoleum were not only ancient Kalashtar relics but his one chance at connecting with the dream realm through sacred means. 

Contact between the two realms was brief, often only used during important wars and turbulent conflicts. In a way, he would be disgracing his ancestors that had come before him, using what little of the sacred water was left to open a portal to beg for the life of his son. As a King is was a foolish and selfish decision, but as a father it was the only one he could take. 

The crystal blue vial had very little left in it, this would likely be the last time anyone could open a portal without making the long travel to the World’s Edge for more. A trip that the Khalastar’s hadn’t taken since the day they became who they were. 

“You are a fool if you think you can beg a Quori to fuse with your son! As I’ve said, if it has not happened before birth then it will not happen. Fate was not aligned with your son and no Quori would ever defy fate!” Shareth voice continued to ring in his head. 

He clasped his one hand on the cauldron that rested in the center of the tomb, the other firmly around his son who had yet to utter a single cry. He searched through all the knowledge he had accumulated over the years within his mind. He recalled the Dream Realm civil conflict that had driven many Quori out of their home and united with the human monks that would soon become the Kalashtar. He remembered the tale of one Quori who was locked away, shunned by his own kind for reasons that were unknown to him and his ancestor. That Quori’s story had lost itself to time as they resigned to their fate of quietly rotting away under lock and chain…That Quori…

Zoratash began to fill the cauldron up to the brim with water.

“What are you doing?” Shareth demanded.

He held the vial that represented the salvation of his people and dripped it’s last bit of sacred water into the cauldron, watching as the water became perfectly clear and reflected his image like a mirror. He dipped his free hand in, “Show me the Quori, Valtari.” 

“YOU BASTARD!” Shareth scream drowned out all other sound, Zoratash bond with Shareth weakening as his Quori protested. Through his own determination, he regained control of his body and pushed Shareth into the depths of their combined body. 

He drew his hand back up and the image of the Quori he sought appeared. 

Its hair flowed as if it were underwater, its eyes a piercing gold. The Quori looked at Zoratash and gave a toothy smile, it’s fangs prominent and sharp. 

“Hello, your majesty.” Valtari greeted him, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“My son…” Zoratash said, showing the infant in his arms to the reflection of Valtari, “He is near death. If I lose him I will have nothing left.”

“An heir to the throne being born without a Quori…How unfortunate.” Valtari mused, “I’m assuming you want me to help you? Sadly, your ancestors and the leaders of my realm have decided I must be locked away forever. I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Valtari’s gaze left him until Zoratash began speaking again.

“I am permitting you to bond with my son. I will do anything you ask if you just help my son live.” Zoratash begged. 

Valtari’s grin grew wider, “Really? Anything?”

“Yes.” Zoratash stated, his heart palpitating wildly within his chest. 

“I will help you, but I do have one request if I am to merge with your son’s life.” Valtari said, “By the passing of Adarion’s comet, I need your son to take me to the World’s Edge.”

Adarion was the very first Khalastar king, his distant ancestor. A comet named in his memory had passed the sky during the day the Khalastars and the Quori had begun their union, it had crossed the sky every 50 years. Zoratash had very vague memories of watching the comet pass with his own father many years ago. 

But why was this Valtari’s request? Why the World’s Edge? Why Adarion’s comet? 

It was so specific and yet so vague. 

“What are your intentions?” Zoratash questioned.

“Ah ah ah,” Valtari placed a clawed finger against his lips, “That is for me and your son to share.”

Everything about Valtari from his attitude to his requests filled Zoratash with a sense of suspicion. His desperation outweighed any rational thought. 

“…Okay.” He agreed, “I accept.” 

“Wonderful.” Valtari said, “Place your son into the cauldron and set me free.”

Zoratash did as he was told, dipping his son into the water, holding him up enough that he would not be fully submerged. The water shined a brilliant bright blue, and Valtari’s arms extended and grabbed onto his son. Rising from the water as a reflection come to life, Valtari held the child in his arms. 

The child’s hair had turned a bright white and his cries echoed in the room. 

It was strange, seeing a creature such as Valtari hold a child so delicately in his arms. His long hair flowed behind him like a dark arc of light, his claws being grasped onto by his son’s small hands. 

Valtari looked to Zoratash and smiled, “Thank you, your majesty. I have a feeling your son and I will form the closest of bonds.”

“Your majesty!” Voices called out to him from a distance, the sound of footsteps approaching grew increasingly louder. 

Valtari disappeared, fading into his son’s small body. Zoratash held his now lively son in his arms and hugged him tightly. 

Multiple servants had arrived at the entrance along with the royal advisor who had undeniably been notified once word got out that Queen Delshana had passed and that King Zoratash had disappeared. 

They stood there, staring at Zoartash and the whimpering infant in his arms, the precious blue vial empty on the floor.

His advisor looked at him in the eyes and muttered, “What have you done…”

* * *

The advisor and servants who found him that day had been executed. 

Zoratash couldn’t afford to be tried for treason, so he covered himself up by accusing those who found him of disturbing him in prayer for his ancestors and entering the royal tomb unauthorized. 

It was a decision that weighed heavily upon his conscience. He had done many regrettable things, but being able to hold his son in his arms and hear his giggles, it had made everything worth it. 

His son looked so much like his mother. One eye was a light blue like Delshana’s, but the other was a bright gold like Valtari’s. It wasn’t uncommon for a Kalashtar to be born with the eye color inherent from their parent and the other from their bonded Quori. 

Still, he worried, he wasn’t the only one who would pay for his decisions. 

His son would one day have to fulfill the request Valtari made. 

Was saving his son worth it? What would happen to him in the future? One day he would have to embark on a journey that a mysterious Quori had its sights set on…Zoratash was powerless over his son’s future. 

He would have to prepare his son for that fateful journey, to train him up well, hire the best people to accompany him…And he’ll be okay. 

“My dearest Khova, I hope one day you will realize all I’ve done for you.” He said softly, placing his son down into his crib. 

Khova was captivated by the glowing lights that hung down from the ceiling and extended his little arms out as if he were trying to grab them, he giggled as he did. 

Zoratash smiled, “I wish your mother could see you now…” he said in reflection. 

If Delshana were alive she might have disagreed with his decision to free Valtari to save their child…She often stuck to what was morally correct, even at her personal expense. He would miss that perspective when it came to returning to his royal affairs, he could have to find a new advisor as well, one he could trust with his most darkest secret. 

Surely the rest of his lifetime and even his son’s will be spent paying off this massive debt, his son’s life will certainly be far tougher than it would have had he been born under normal circumstances. 

Zoratash had to close his heart and prepare his son to atone for his own sins, one of the worst things a father could entrust their child. This was their new fate, and maybe when Khova is older he will understand why that is. 

Now, Zoratash enjoyed seeing his child alive and happy. For now, there was peace.

All was peaceful, for Adarion’s comet would not return until 20 years time.


End file.
